Here is a lovely confection… though not for
those who won’t follow instruction. There are a number of supplies required, 2
large rimmed sheet pans, parchment paper and unflavoured cooking spray. A large
offset spatula is very useful to thinly spread the cake batter. The frosting is
scant, but you don’t need more. The frosting should be ethereally thin between
the thin, fragile cake layers. Don’t add extracts to the cake batter, and use only
vanilla extract in the frosting. There is beauty in balance.
ALMOND FLOUR SHEET CAKE
Be sure to read the preceding paragraph.
Cake:
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
6 egg whites
1 pinch cream of tartar
icing sugar for dusting
Vanilla Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract no more
1/4 cup whipping cream
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Prepare two large, rimmed sheet pans:
- Pray the sides with cooking spray and line the bottom of each sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk the almond flour and the cake flour. Set aside.
- Next add a pinch of cream of tartar to 6 egg whites and beat until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar and continue beating until hard peaks form.
- Set aside.
- Add 3 whole eggs to the flour mixture and beat for 4 minutes.
- Gradually and gently fold the beaten egg whites into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon.
- Spray the parchment lined sheet pans with cooking spray.
- Divide the cake batter between the prepared sheet pans.
- Spread the batter evenly preferably with a large offset spatula.
- Bake the cakes one by one in the preheated oven.
- When the top springs back remove the pan from the oven and put the second pan to bake.
- Next lightly dust the top of the cake with icing sugar.
- Place a clean kitchen towel over the pan.
- Grasping the kitchen towel on both sides tautly over the pan, quickly turn it over.
- The sheet cake is now resting on the kitchen towel.
- Gently lift off the sheet pan.
- Immediately, carefully peel the parchment paper off the hot cake. It is crucial not to let the cake cool down with the parchment paper fused to the cake. Otherwise the cake will come off in clumps.
- Before handling, let the cake cool down completely.
- Very gently pull the cake with the kitchen towel onto a flat surface, perhaps an un-rimmed baking sheet or a stable sheet of cardboard.
- As this cake is very fragile, it will help to chill the sheet cake before assembly.
- Meanwhile prepare the vanilla frosting.
- Beat the softened butter until soft and creamy.
- Continue beating and gradually add the icing sugar.
- Scrape down the sides and gradually add the whipping cream and the vanilla extract. Do not increase the suggested amount or change the extract.
- Beat for 4 minutes longer or until very frothy.
- Place the chilled sheet cakes on the counter and cut each cake into 4 equal pieces. Now you have 8 equal cake layers.
- Spread each cake layer with the vanilla frosting.
- The frosting will appear sparse, but you do not want ticker layers of frosting between the fragile cake layers. This cake does not need frosting on the side or any sort of decorating.
- Chill before slicing.
- Serve only at room temperature.
